The First Few Weeks

Last December "T" took a job with a new company.  We knew that this was an opportunity he should not pass up, but the job was based out of Colorado.  After much thought and prayer we knew that moving was the next step for us.  Man I hate selling houses.  Have I told you that lately?  It is like the worst blind date ever.  Will they like me?  Will they call me again?  Do you think they can commit? Our first offer fell through, but the second offer was a sure thing.  I'm sorry did you just ask if I had to put up my house for sell twice in a six week period?  Um...yes, I did.  Where did I put the piles of laundry that usually line my home?  In the back of my car of course.  We had the help of many family and friends though, which we will be forever grateful for.  We could not have made this move without them.

The second week in July we made our way from Salt Lake to Denver.  We only stopped 9,347 times in Wyoming to use the bathroom.   Thank you Wyoming for your hospitality and your beef jerky.  The hours were long for the kids, but man they were troopers.  I thought they could do some reading for school or maybe some math drills during the long car ride, but instead they found this cool app on my phone.  Have a look at these masterpieces:

Pretty cool right?  So we landed at a hotel in Lone Tree, Colorado.  We fit pretty well, but they didn't have a roll away, so Averi ended up sleeping in the port-a-crib.  That is just the bonus of being pint size I guess.  We spent four nights in that hotel.  We swam and ate, swam and ate.  We checked on the house several times, but it wasn't ready for us yet.  Our final day being homeless was spent at the Denver aquarium.

The admission is not cheap, but what do you expect when you get to have a shark almost bite your face off.  The kids were incredibly patient through the move in process.  Not only did we not have a home, but we spent many hours sitting in Denver traffic.  We just didn't know any better.  We have played more car games than you can imagine.  Seriously, I should write a book entitled, "Car Games for Families who are Super Naive about Big Cities and Rush Hour".

Thursday, July 17th we moved into our new home.  The moving truck had not arrived yet, but our cousins had!  We spent the next few days playing with our family and waiting for the truck, which arrived on Saturday.  The family was incredibly helpful, and things were unpacked quickly.  We spent our free time running the river, eating pizza, Celebrating A-hizzle's birthday, and playing with that same crazy phone app.

Love you cousins.  Thanks for everything.  The river near our home is a blast.  It is not always full enough to run, but we caught it just before it became to shallow.  Chubbs sat on my lap while we floated.  She told me later she wasn't sure she liked the "slantage" (she meant rapids).

The next week was spent meeting our neighbors, ward, and making friends with the bunnies and the snakes.  Colorado is unbelievably beautiful.  I have always been a city girl though, so our wilderness neighborhood has taken a little getting use to.  I run the trail near our home with a pocket knife in my running pouch.  I am sure that if some beaver latches on to my leg I can pry it off with my dull weapon.  There are these bugs that hang out in the trees at night. Forget crickets man, these things buzz like a light bulb that needs to be changed.  The squirrels run along the back of the fence all day long, just looking at me like they know my kind.  They are probably talking about me right now saying, "That crazy lady is sitting at her kitchen table eating cookies again.  Poor lady, she could seriously use a shower."

It isn't it amazing how much we grow when we are out of our comfort zone?  I obviously have much more to learn, but I am truly grateful that I get to do it in this beautiful new place.  Heavenly Father knows what I need, and he is taking good care of us.  I just pray He will keep the beavers away.

Ladies Tea Party! (minus the tea!)

I hosted a book club recently and we got to discuss Anne of Green Gables... my favorite!!!  So of course, we needed to have a ladies tea.  I don't drink tea, but we didn't miss it a bit!  White linens with floral table runners, white china dishes, fresh flowers in the middle, and feminine serving platters make for a fun ladies tea!  A few of us even dressed with "puffed sleeves" or lovely ladies hats and beads.  Such a fun night with some sweet ladies. Many selections and small portions make a ladies tea menu just right.  Most of these recipes are make ahead, so I did most of the desserts a couple days before and put them in the freezer, the sandwich fillings the day before, so the day of, you don't have much to do except dress the table. 
I would like to share with you our menu...
Drink:
Peach Citrus Punch
Ice water with lemon slices
Main:
Chicken Salad Sandwiches on Croissants
Cucumber Salad Sandwiches on Rye
Fruit and Salad:
Strawberries Romanov
Fruity Poppy Seed Salad
Dessert:
Mini Lemon Cupcakes
Mint Brownies
Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

I will share all of these recipes, but will make them separate posts so that I can find them again!  Click on each menu item and it will link you to each of the recipes.
I hope you will host a ladies, or little girls, tea party sometime.  It was so much fun!

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream

Recipe by Our Best Bites...to see picture, click here

1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)

1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)

1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)…or use whatever pretty combination of fruit that is in season 1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream (or other very nice brand, not light or fat free for this recipe!)

3 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.

While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone’s Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge. Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine.

When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. You can pre-mix sauce and pre-chop fruit and store in separate containers in fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

Glazed Lemon Cookies

My husband LOVES anything lemon.  He had a meeting at the church the evening of his birthday this year, so I decided to surprise the men-folk with some cookies (he's not a huge cake fan).  These cookies were a hit!

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (or reduce other salt measurement and use salted butter)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2-3 teaspoons lemon juice

1-2 teaspoons milk

Preheat oven it 350 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, whisk and set aside.  In another small bowl, mix granulated sugar and lemon zest with fingers or spoon.  Beat butter and sugar/lemon mixture together until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.  Slowly beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended.  Drop dough by small tablespoon balls onto prepared baking sheet and gently flatten with the palm of your hand or bottom of a glass.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden brown.  Cool cookies on baking sheet for 2 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.  In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk (adding just enough milk for right frosting consistency, slightly thinner than most frosting).  Dip each cookie top into the lemon icing or spoon small amount on cookie and swirl with back of spoon.  Can sprinkle a tiny amount of lemon zest on top.  Allow icing to set and serve!  Make about 3 dozen cookies.

Layered Oreo Dessert

This dessert has been in the family for years and we have enjoyed it on many a family gathering nights.  My friend made it as well for a Book Club years ago but she "adultified" and "beautified" it so I have used her version many times as well.  Not a lot of work, but the freezing between layers needs some time.  Make it a day before, or make the faster version for an equally yummy, just not quite as fancy version.  Great for summer BBQ's but also a fun dessert for December using pink peppermint ice cream and adding chopped up candy canes to the top!  The most memorable time I served it was when we had the local LDS missionaries over for dinner and when I got the dessert out, one of the Elders said, "Oh, your kidding!  We had this all the time at home and I haven't had it for 15 months."  He needed a little TLC that night, so I was glad I could provide it in the way of dessert!

Bottom Layer:

2 cups (about 2 rows in the package) finely crushed Oreos mixed with 6 Tbsp. melted butter, (can do this step in the food processor really fast) pressed firmly in bottom of 9x13 pan.

2nd Layer:

1/2 gallon peppermint, green mint, vanilla, or other ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened enough to spread on Oreo layer.  Freeze.

3rd Layer:

12 oz. Cool Whip spread of top of ice cream layer.  Freeze.

4th Layer:

Drizzle chocolate sauce to form a thin layer of chocolate on Cool Whip.  Freeze.

5th Layer:

Sprinkle crushed Oreos (chunks) on top of chocolate layer. Freeze. 

Keep in freezer, removing about 10-15 minutes before serving to soften. 

Faster version:

Bottom Layer:

2 cups finely crushed Oreos mixed with 6 Tbsp. melted butter, pressed firmly in bottom of 9x13 pan.

2nd Layer:

1/2 gallon ice cream mixed with 12 oz. Cool Whip gently folded.  Fold in crushed Oreo chunks and spread over Oreo layer.  Sprinkle top with more Oreo chunks and freeze until ready to serve.

Note:  The trick is to get the ice cream and the Cool Whip at the right softness to spread.  I generally find that on a hot summer day, right when I get home from the grocery store and unpack everything, they are generally softened enough, but NOT melted and it is when they are ready to go!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

One of my favorite birthday treats is a cookie cake from Mrs. Fields, but these can get a little pricey, so I usually make them now.  This has been a favorite at many Ludlow birthday parties.  It can be decorated with frosting or covered in hot fudge next to some ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

6 T. granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1-2 cups chocolate chips (I always use semi-sweet)

Sift flour, soda and salt…set aside.

Using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugars for 1 minute.  Add egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute.  On low speed add flour.  Mixing until just incorporated.  Add chocolate chips, mixing in by hand.

Use fingers to spread dough evenly over the bottom of prepared pan (10 inch spring form, buttered and lined with parchment). Bake at 350° until top turns golden, but center is still soft. Cool on rack.

Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few years ago we started a family tradition we call "Cookie Sunday."  Each week we make a batch of cookies and deliver any leftovers to family and friends.  Some weeks we are left with only one plate to pass out.  My little ones love it, my thighs do not.  This is a recipe I came up with after a little trial and error.  It is simply a combination of a few staple recipes I have been using for years.  Please use good quality chocolate and parchment paper to line your cookie sheets.  Finally, for the love of all that is holy, do not overbake them. Happy Sunday!

2 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use unbleached)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1-1 1/2 cup oatmeal (measured and then ground fine in a blender or food processor)

1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 12oz. bag good quality chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and ground oatmeal.  Beat butter and sugars until well combined (2-3 minutes).  Add eggs and vanilla, and mix only until

incorporated.  Add dry ingredients and mix just until no flour can be seen.  Stir in chips and nuts by hand to avoid breaking them into pieces with the mixer.  Using a small ice cream scoop drop onto parchment lined baking sheets. 

Bake at 375° for 8-11 minutes.  I like to take them out when the tops almost look raw and the edges are just turning golden.  The cookie continues to bake while cooling on the pan. 

Chocolate Nutella Cookies

So these little babies are making their appearance in the blog world, so I thought I would introduce you to them if you haven't met them yet. You REALLY need to meet them. I don't know what it is about Nutella, but it was definitely a love at first sight relationship. Have you tried it on pretzels, toast, licked off your index finger? You need to at least try it in these cookies. You can find Nutella at any grocery store in the jams and jellies section or at Costco now which makes it actually pretty affordable. I of course added MORE chocolate to the recipe in the form of chocolate chips. You can always use more chocolate, don't you think?

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
2/3 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon hazelnut extract (you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla if you can’t find or don’t like hazelnut extract)
1/3 cup Nutella
1/3 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips (I like to mix semi-sweet and milk chocolate)

Preheat oven to 325°
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set the mixture aside. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the extracts (I just used 2 tsp vanilla, I didn't have hazelnut extract and they were still awesome) and beat for another 30 seconds or so. Add the Nutella and beat until smooth.

With the mixer running, add half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the milk, mixing until combined completely, then add the remaining flour mixture and mix completely. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes (and as long as 2-3 days).

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat (this is important so they don't get too flat). Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and place them on the lined cookie sheet, allowing about 2″ between the dough balls. Don't let the dough get to warm or it gets way too sticky to work with. If this happens, just stick it back in the fridge for a while (or freezer if you're impatient like me!)
Lightly press the dough balls with the bottom of a drinking glass and then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are crackly on top and soft, but starting to set. Remove from the oven and allow them to stand for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Original recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod.

Belly Laughs from my kids

There is nothing like hearing a child laugh so hard that it shakes their whole body. We call it a "belly laugh." Here is something that my son's friend showed him that made us all belly laugh as we watched it. You have to watch it if you haven't yet. There are a few more episodes created on You Tube. Enjoy this "KID HISTORY" video (CLICK HERE for the link) ...just for laughs of course! Do you like grapes too???

Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream

Recipe by Our Best Bites...to see picture, click here
1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)
1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)
1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)…or use whatever pretty combination of fruit that is in season
1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream (or other very nice brand, not light or fat free for this recipe!)
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.
While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone’s Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge. Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine.
When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. You can pre-mix sauce and pre-chop fruit and store in separate containers in fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.

Summer Spinach Dip (or anytime of year dip!)

from my friend Elise’s caterer friend

This dip makes a fresh, cool, and very yummy appetizer or addition to any meal. Bet you can’t dip just one!

1 pint sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package (about ½ cup) Knorr dry leek soup mix
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thaw in refrigerator and paper towel squeeze to dry)
½ cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley (finely chopped)
½ cup green onions (finely chopped)
1 tsp dry dill1 tsp dry Italian salad seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. It tastes the best when you make it hours before and let it sit in the fridge so the flavors can blend. Serve with Stick crackers (like Club brand sticks), French bread cubes, and/or chopped fresh vegetables (I like carrots, celery and peppers.)

Citrus Water

from Sisters Cafe

This is a very beautiful drink to serve at a party–but the best part is–it tastes GREAT!! It is not too sweet or heavy, just perfectly light and refreshing! It's not lemonade, but a fruity and sweet water that can accompany any summertime gathering!

2 T citric acid (buy at pharmacy)
1 bag crushed ice (5 lb.)
5 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 T lemon extract
3 sliced lemons
3 sliced limes
3 sliced oranges

Stir water, sugar, citric acid, and extract together. Wash fruit and slice and add to water mixture. Serve in a clear punch bowl or water dispenser. Enjoy!

Fabulously Fresh Summer Ideas Class

It's 93 degrees in Utah as I'm typing this...so summer recipes are exactly what the doctor ordered right now! This week we taught this class on some super yummy, super fresh, and super crowd-pleaser summer (or anytime!) recipes. These recipes are guaranteed to jazz up any barbeque! Don't forget to look at the hints on some fun and easy way to decorate for summer get-togethers!

Summer Spinach Dip (or anytime of year dip!)
from my friend Elise’s caterer friend

This dip makes a fresh, cool, and very yummy appetizer or addition to any meal. Bet you can’t dip just one!

1 pint sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package (about ½ cup) Knorr dry leek soup mix
10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thaw in refrigerator and paper towel squeeze to dry)
½ cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley (finely chopped)
½ cup green onions (finely chopped)
1 tsp dry dill
1 tsp dry Italian salad seasoning mix

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. It tastes the best when you make it hours before and let it sit in the fridge so the flavors can blend. Serve with Stick crackers (like Club brand sticks), French bread cubes, and/or chopped fresh vegetables (I like carrots, celery and peppers.)



Citrus Water
from Sisters Cafe

This is a very beautiful drink to serve at a party–but the best part is–it tastes GREAT!! It is not too sweet or heavy, just perfectly light and refreshing!
2 T citric acid (buy at pharmacy)
1 bag crushed ice
5 quarts water
2 cups sugar
2 T lemon extract
3 sliced lemons
3 sliced limes
3 sliced oranges
Stir water, sugar, citric acid, and extract together. Add sliced fruit and ice. Serve in a clear punch bowl or water dispenser. Enjoy!




Fresh Fruit Bruschetta with Orange-Honey Cream
Recipe by Our Best Bites...to see picture, click here

1 baguette or similar-sized French bread loaf
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 C diced strawberries (about 10 medium strawberries)
1 C finely diced mango (about 1 medium mango)
1 C finely diced kiwi (about 3 kiwi)…or use whatever pretty combination of fruit that is in season
1/2 C Breakstone’s Sour Cream (or other very nice brand, not light or fat free for this recipe!)
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp orange zest
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to brush each piece with melted butter. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle evenly over bread slices. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are toasted. Set aside to cool.
While bread is toasting, combine Breakstone’s Sour Cream, honey, and orange zest. Stir to combine and place in the fridge.
Combine strawberries, mango, and kiwi and stir gently to combine. When bread is cooled, place about 1 Tbsp. of fruit mixture on top of each toasted bread slice and drizzle with sweet sour cream mixture. If needed, thin sour cream sauce with 1/2-1 tsp orange juice. You can pre-mix sauce and pre-chop fruit and store in separate containers in fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately.


Fun Summer Entertaining Ideas:

Use potted plants as the centerpiece, and send one home with each guest. Inexpensive clay pots can be tied with ribbon for a fun look.

Potted fresh herbs or bowls of fresh fruit and vegetables (especially artichokes) are simple, but elegant ways to decorate a table.

Don’t forget about discount fabric stores to find clearance fabric that makes great table toppers and runners.

Make the table kid friendly by using colorful beach towels as table runners and using buckets of water balloons as the centerpiece. Risky, but adorable!

Chocolate Mini Cakes

Chocolate Mini Cakes

Jill and I were asked to cater a mother and daughter event recently for 150 ladies. They wanted to recognize these girls for their achievements in the LDS personal progress program and wanted to create a tea party type atmosphere complete with a tea party type dessert. We took the challenge and decided that it had to be chocolate and it had to be PINK! What we came up with were some chocolate mini cakes decorated with a pink frosting flower and pearl center on top, a strawberry in a dollop of Ready whip, colored chocolate mint candies sprinkled around the plate, and pink lemonade to drink. Of course we forgot to take a picture (yes, we are not the brightest of the bunch when it comes to remembering to take pictures...it could also have to do with the fact that my picture taking devices are either my cell phone or my camera that is held together with duct tape!) Anyway, here are the chocolate mini cakes that we served. Not too hard to make even though it takes a few recipes combined to make each part of the cake just right, (you will recognize each of the recipes as ones we have used before!) but go and make someone feel special by making these cutest little cakes today! You can even make them the day before your event and keep them in the fridge! ENJOY!

Chocolate Mini Cakes
Otherwise known as upside down cupcakes using our favorite chocolate bundt cake recipe!

1 devils food cake mix, Duncan Hines is favorite (do not make according to package)
1 (4 serving) instant chocolate pudding mix
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ cup warm water
½ cup vegetable oil
Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer for 1 minute. Scrape down sides and continue to mix on medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Generously grease and sprinkle cocoa to coat 24-30 dark non-stick muffin tin cups. (My favorite is to actually use the cooking spray that has flour in it, expensive but worth it!) Spoon batter into the muffin tins filling only about 1/2 or so full. Bake at 350 for 13-14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs attached but not wet batter. Let cool in the pan for about 10 mins and then using a knife, carefully remove the mini cakes and invert "bottoms up" on a cooling rack to finish cooling. Cool completely before filing, but if not using immediately, they need to be put on parchment paper in an air tight container as soon as they are cool so they won't dry out.

Filling:
Otherwise known as Perfect Cupcake Frosting and Filling

6 TB flour
1 cup milk
1 cup real butter (MUST be good quality butter!)
1 cup sugar (granulated, not powdered sugar)
2 tsps vanilla extract
In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk. Heat on medium heat whisking continuously until it starts to thicken. Stir and cook until you barely start to see streaks of the bottom of the pan (it should still be mostly liquid though) and quickly get off the heat still stirring. Put a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture into the strainer and stir with a rubber spatula to push it through, cleaning off the bottom of the strainer when you're finished. You should end up with a nice, smooth mixture. Put mixture in fridge and let it cool completely. In an electric mixer, beat the butter and the sugar a couple of minutes until fluffy. Use the whisk attachment on an electric stand mixer. Then while beating, pour in the cooled milk mixture, then the vanilla. Beat to combine and then scrape down bowl. It will look goopy and lumpy at this point! Just wait...beat on medium high for 7-8 minutes, longer if needed. After 7-8 mins. it will have transformed into a gorgeous and fluffy, light and silky frosting or filling!

Use a long (Wilton Bismarck) tip and put tip 3/4 of the way into the center of each cake, filling and lifting out of the cake until you can see the cake "plumping" (oooh, is that a word, if it is, I certainly hope that "plumping" is never used in a sentence to describe this girl!) and starting to come out the top hole. You can also cut out a piece of the cake and replace after filling, but the decorating tip is much faster and easier I think.

Helpful notes:*Use real butter that is a good quality, cheap brands do weird things!*If after 7-8 min. it's not fluffy, keep going and increase your mixing speed.*Store at room temperature, it may separate in the fridge, can store overnight in a well sealed container. *This recipe really isn't as hard as it sounds, just follow the hints and give it a try, you will LOVE it!


What a better way to "frost" these mini cakes than with real chocolate!...
Chocolate Ganache
3/4 C heavy cream
2 T real butter, melted
8 oz semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped (or use good quality chocolate chips)
Put chocolate pieces in a bowl. Pour melted butter over it. Place cream in microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes- it needs to be at a simmer. Immediately pour over chocolate and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 3 minutes and then stir until smooth. Let it cool until it's a good spreading consistency and then spread on top of filled mini cakes. Use about a tablespoon chocolate and drop in the center of each cake. Then use the back of your spoon to spread the chocolate around the top, allowing the chocolate to lovingly drip down the sides of the cake. If your chocolate in the bowl gets too thick to spread, just put it back in the microwave and reheat for about 30 seconds or so.

Decorating the mini cakes:
Make sure the you give the ganache time to cool and set before decorating or else you will have a melty mess! To decorate the cakes, we used just a regular buttercream frosting (you can even just buy that stuff in a can if you want!) and added pink (3 or so drops of red depending on how much frosting you have) food coloring to it. (Try two drops of red and 1 drop of yellow for a pretty peachish-pink color too!) Use a trusty Wilton 1M Star tip and decorating bag and hold the tip upright, just touching the center of the cake and squeeze! It will come out a beautiful flower if you just let the petals form and gently release and lift when the desired flower size is achieved.


These cakes are such a hit, they are worth the extra time and effort we promise! If you want to simplify, just use silver metal cupcake holder cups and make them into cupcakes, or just don't fill them...but we insist you use the fabulous chocolate GANACHE!

Cashew Chicken Crepes with Creamy Parmesan Sauce

Cashew Chicken Crepes with Creamy Parmesan Sauce
Original recipe from Darla Evanson

This recipe is so incredibly rich and delicious and it has a very pretty presentation. Jill tried it first at a ladies Relief Society night and it was love at first bite! Gratefully, the talented caterer friend who made them was gracious enough to share her recipe to our delight and benefit! This recipe is definitely "sensational" but not as "simple" but be sure to read the notes at the end of the recipe where Jill and I have found to help make the process more simple. These crepes would be wonderful for a nice dinner party, ladies book club night, or to impress in-laws (we can speak from experience because we have made them for each of these occasions and they were a hit each time!)

Crepes: makes 14-20 thin crepes
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
3 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
2 Tablespoons melted butter

Filling: fills 14
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cashews-finely chopped
3 Tablespoons chopped green onions
8 ounces fresh mushrooms-sliced
1 lb rotisserie chicken chunks- cut in small pieces
1 1/2 cups cut up broccoli -steamed
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon soy sauce

Topping Sauce:
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese - canned
1 cup cashews and chopped parsley for garnish

Crepes - Blend all ingredients in the blender until smooth. Let sit for a few minutes for batter to thicken up. Cook crepes and place between waxed paper. *See hints below for how to be successful at making crepes!
Filling and Topping Crepes - In a large skillet, heat butter. Saute onions and mushrooms. Add chicken pieces and cook about 5 minutes or until warmed through. Mix whipping cream, Parmesan cheese and soy sauce and add to skillet. Stir in broccoli and ¼ c. cashews. Fill crepes. Roll and place in greased 9x13 pan. Mix whipping cream and Parmesan cheese in small saucepan and warm up. Drizzle filled crepes with a bit of sauce and spread to cover top of crepes. This keeps the crepe moist while baking. Cover and bake at 450 until bubbly - 10 minutes or less, just until warmed through. Drizzle with the rest of the sauce before serving. Garnish with finely chopped cashews and fresh parsley to serve.
(When I make this for a weeknight meal for my family, I make the filling using skim evaporated milk instead of whipping cream, and serve over hot brown rice or quinoa. The evaporated milk makes it runnier, so it would not work as well if you were filling crepes.)

*Hints for successful crepe making:
Heat a nonstick skillet to medium heat for about 3 minutes. (Our favorite pan is of course a crepe pan which you can actually find at Spoons and Spice for a very reasonable price, $15ish.)Butter pan. When butter stops sizzling, lift pan of the heat, at an angle while pouring 1/8-1/4 cup of batter (depending on size of crepes you desire) into pan and use a circular motion to help spread the batter into a circular shape. Place pan back on heat and cook until edges are set and you can run a spatula under it, about 30 or so seconds. Flip crepe and cook another 20-30 seconds. Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature.

Ways to make the recipe more "simple":
You can make the crepes a day or so in advance, just make sure they are on wax or parchment paper on a plate and cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
Buy the pre-sliced mushrooms that they sell in 8 oz. packages in the produce section. (Although I usually slice them in half again with my spatula while they are in the pan because I like them a little smaller.)
Frozen broccoli pieces work just as well, just microwave them in a bowl with some water until tender.
You can cut up your rotisserie chicken in advance as well (make sure you use rotisserie chicken for this recipe, they are so tender!)